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AeroScout and Time Domain Introduce the Industry’s First Combined Wi-Fi / Ultra Wideband Tracking System

Integrated RFID Technology Gives Customers a Single, Pervasive Solution for High Accuracy, Scalable Asset Tracking

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - February 04, 2008

AeroScout, Inc., the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility solutions, today announced its new Ultra-Wi-Fi line of products that enable asset tracking using both Wi-Fi and Ultra Wideband (UWB). The system, developed with partner Time Domain, features the industry’s only dual-mode tag that can be tracked with a standard Wi-Fi network across the enterprise while also adding the high precision and inches-level accuracy of UWB where it is required.

The Ultra-Wi-Fi solution utilizes a single, integrated tag to roam seamlessly between a standard Wi-Fi network and an Ultra Wideband reader network. The tag’s low-impact beaconing message can be received by both Wi-Fi access points and the Ultra-Wi-Fi UWB receivers. The AeroScout Engine software determines location over both frequencies, and AeroScout MobileView software applies a consistent set of rules to all location data.

Through the Ultra-Wi-Fi solution, customers can track assets across a large facility or enterprise while meeting specific application needs that call for very high accuracy in certain areas. As an example, a manufacturing facility can use their Wi-Fi network to track tagged parts as they move throughout the entire facility. When those parts enter an area of densely located workcells, Ultra-Wi-Fi receivers can track to within 12 inches to precisely log the parts’ workflow. Because the same tags and software are utilized, customers can maintain the low cost and scalability of Wi-Fi-based tracking while adding the high accuracy of UWB in areas where it is required.

The solution includes Ultra-Wi-Fi dual mode tags, Ultra-Wi-Fi readers for areas where UWB tracking is desired, AeroScout Engine software for dual-mode location determination, and AeroScout MobileView software for management, alerting and visualization of tracked assets and people. All of the leading features of AeroScout’s Wi-Fi-based Active RFID technology, such as integrated sensors and telemetry, Exciters for choke-point data, and real-time rules-based alerting, are enabled through the Ultra-Wi-Fi solution as well. Also announced today, AeroScout MobileView 4.0 software integrates location and status data from a wide variety of sources, including Wi-Fi, UWB, passive RFID and others (see AeroScout Brings Complete Asset Visibility to the Enterprise with MobileView 4.0).

Executive quote

“Wi-Fi-based tracking systems have come to lead the market due to cost-effectiveness, while UWB systems have also met application needs through very high accuracy in needed areas. Customers who required both technologies, though, have historically needed two separate solutions,” said Gabi Daniely, VP of Marketing and Product Strategy at AeroScout. “AeroScout’s and Time Domain’s innovative converged product line meets a real need among our global customer base for solutions that combine the scalability and ubiquity of Wi-Fi with the extreme accuracy of UWB.”

Pricing and availability

Ultra-Wi-Fi products will be marketed and sold by both AeroScout and Time Domain and will be available through the companies’ channel partners. In addition, the companies have signed a distribution agreement that enables Time Domain to use the AeroScout Engine to determine UWB location, as a component of the Time Domain PLUS™ UWB system. The Ultra-Wi-Fi solution is currently installed with beta customers and will be available at the end of Q1.

About the company

About AeroScout

AeroScout is the market leader in Unified Asset Visibility solutions. The company’s products accurately locate and monitor assets and people over standard Wi-Fi networks, to improve and automate business processes. AeroScout’s global customer base includes many of the Fortune 500 and over 70 of the world’s leading hospitals. Founded in 2000, AeroScout pioneered the Wi-Fi visibility market by introducing the industry's first Wi-Fi-based Active RFID tag, and is widely recognized as leading the market in number of tags shipped. AeroScout is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., with offices in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Australia. For more information, please visit www.aeroscout.com.

AeroScout is a registered trademark of AeroScout, Inc. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information is subject to change without notice.

Contact details

LEWIS PR for AeroScout
Bryan Pope, 415-992-4400
aeroscout@lewispr.com

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